Dempsey: "We never received a request for support from the State Department." McCain asks who is to blame, whether Dempsey is putting blame on State. Dempsey cites other regional concerns claiming resources in the region. Quick question on Syria ends McCain's testimony.

Chambliss (R-GA) asks if Benghazi was an "intelligence failure," Panetta says some of the Benghazi intelligence was "not on the money," Dempsey says that he sees this as more of an "intelligence gap" given rapid change in the region and increased demands.

Graham, on response to attacks: "Was one airplane launched anywhere in the world to help these people?" Confirms that Panetta did not know how long attacks would last, focuses on whether "any DoD asset was put in motion" before the attacks had ended.

Panetta says that "first fifteen or twenty minutes" of half-hour meeting at 5pm ET on day of attack with Obama and Dempsey was spent on Benghazi, then no further contact with president. Initial Benghazi attack took place at 9:42pm Benghazi time, 3:42pm ET.

Sen. McCaskill (D-MO) questions whether the U.S. can rely on "inept contractors" in host nations for security, says that the savings versus Marine and other military involvement make little sense given the potential for costs and losses of an attack like Benghazi. "For embassies, it doesn't seem like this should be such a hard reach."

Levin starts second round of questioning, which is bound to be cut short by votes and upcoming hearing on John Brennan's nomination for CIA director. Levin makes distinction that even if Panetta/Dempsey only spoke directly with Obama once in attack's aftermath, there was more indirect contact and meetings with staff.

Graham asks who was in charge in Benghazi. "I think we're all in charge," Panetta says, referring to himself as well as Secretary Clinton and President Obama. Graham says he wants to know what the president knew about prior attacks in Libya and during the September 11th attacks, calls the response a system failure at every level.

Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, starts the hearing by giving her own recap of the questions before Brennan and the committee, emphasizing the drone program Brennan oversees. Mentions the 14-page white paper released this week on justifications.

Busy day for Sen. Chambliss (R-GA), vice chair of the committee, who announced last month he won't be seeking a third term in office in 2014. Chambliss asked questions of Panetta and Dempsey a couple of hours ago at the Armed Services Committee's hearing on the Benghazi attacks (scroll down here for our earlier coverage).

Worth opening in a new tab now or bookmarking for later -- an interview given to Reuters last month by retired General Stanley McChrystal. He endorsed Brennan's nomination, but expressed concerns about the drone program as well:

"What scares me about drone strikes is how they are perceived around the world," he said in an interview. "The resentment created by American use of unmanned strikes ... is much greater than the average American appreciates. They are hated on a visceral level, even by people who've never seen one or seen the effects of one."

Third protester stands on chair, holding up doll/prop visual aid of some sort. "They won't even tell Congress what countries we are killing children in," she says as she's escorted out. Feinstein says she will clear the room if there is one more protest, and immediately another protester begins. Feinstein calls for a recess to clear the room of the "Code Pink associates."

Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan (L) arrives to testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on his nomination to be the director of the CIA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 7, 2013. REUTERS/Gary Cameron

Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan (C) arrives to testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on his nomination to be the director of the CIA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 7, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed

Brennan's ripping through his resume quickly here. To recap, he worked with the CIA for 25 years as an analyst (he speaks fluent Arabic) before retiring in 2005, entering the private sector, then returning to the political sphere. More in this good Washington Post profile.

WASHINGTON No negotiations can be held with North Korea until it improves its behavior, a White House official said on Wednesday, raising questions about U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's offer to begin talks with Pyongyang any time and without pre-conditions. | Video

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: